The invention relates generally to devices for assisting people who are temporarily or chronically experiencing difficulty walking and more specifically to a wheeled walker having an adjustable height handlebar and seat having adjustable separation.
Significant resources have been directed to assisting people with congenital, accidental or degenerative damage to the legs which interferes with or precludes the ability to walk or move about in any fashion. Such devices may be classified by various distinct characteristics: steerable and non-steerable, occupant standing and occupant seated and three-wheeled or four-wheeled.
The latter classification parameter is helpful in that it is especially distinct. Walking assistance devices incorporating three-wheels are presented in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,065,145, 4,159,110, 4,239,248 and 4,307,715. U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,145 to Chambers teaches a three-wheeled vehicle for semi-ambulatory patients which is similar to a three-wheel scooter. A pair of rear wheels support an adjustable height seat and a forward, single wheel is pivotably supported by the frame and coupled to a pair of hand grips to provide steering. U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,110 to Dodenhoff discloses a folding wheeled walker having generally triangular frame sections which are supported upon a rear pair of fixed axis, caster sized wheels and a forward, centrally disposed pivotable caster. A fixed, U-shaped handlebar may be gripped by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,248 to Ewers teaches a steerable, collapsible walker disposed on three relatively large, spoked wheels. The user sits on a centrally disposed seat and a middle wheel is steerable by an interconnected cable and lever system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,715 to Fante discloses another three-wheeled ambulatory aid. The walking aid includes a back bracing board which is strapped to the user and includes a pair of rear, diverging supports terminating in casters and a centrally disposed forward support also terminating in a caster and coupled to an adjustable T-shaped handlebar. The back brace board is supported and guided by a slidable interconnection to therapy walker railings.
Four-wheeled walking devices are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,307,058, 2,459,066, 3,180,678 and 4,861,051. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,307,058 to McGrath, an open rectangular frame includes a pair of fixed axis front wheels and pivotable rear wheels. The frame supports a centrally disposed seat and adjustable crutch staffs for supporting the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,459,066 to Duke teaches a vehicle similar to that disclosed in the above-discussed '058 patent and includes an open rectangular frame supported by four casters and an additional fifth caster in the middle intended to provide additional support for a seat. All five casters of the device are pivotable. The vehicle further includes handgrips and underarm, crutch-like supports. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,678 to McCabe, an exercise vehicle having a front, pivotable frame section with handlebars and a rear frame section supporting a seat also includes a respective front axle for supporting a pair of front wheels and a similar rear axle for supporting the rear wheels. The front axle and forward, pivotable portion of the frame are coupled to handlebars. The device also includes a U-shaped backrest which is disposed generally above the seat.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,051 to Napper discloses a rehabilitation walker device having an open, symmetrical frame defining a rearwardly canted handlebar portion and a pair of widely spaced front casters. To the rear, a pair of closely spaced casters supports a chair-like seat.
A review of the foregoing patented technology, while revealing certain features and advantages in individual devices, also reveals certain shortcomings. For example, certain of the devices are complex and therefore heavy and cumbersome. Such configurations do not encourage an already less than fit individual to utilize them. Secondly, many disclose supports, i.e., casters, which do not exhibit either resilience or obstacle clearing ability to render them comfortably functional on rough or irregular surfaces such as cracked sidewalk, grouted ceramic tile floors and the like. Also, the bulk of many designs draws attention to them and the user whereas lightness and compactness tend to reduce the self-consciousness of a person using a walker.
Finally, the devices exhibit varying degrees of adjustability and thus user comfort. Since the devices are intended to facilitate and encourage walking, it is highly desirable that they provide adjustments for the following three user related parameters: ground to seat height, ground to handlebar height and seating to handlebar horizontal spacing. Thus it is apparent that improvements in the art of walking assistance devices particularly wheeled walkers are both possible and desirable.